It was almost 50 years ago when five members of Congress joined together to form a new caucus. These members adopted the model of the Congressional Black Caucus which was formed 5 years earlier. Nearly 50 years later, membership in that caucus has increased eight-fold and it is still growing. Now 43 members strong, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus is a significant portion of the Democratic Party. While this is amazing, there is still much more work to be done.
There are still plenty of barriers that Latino lawmakers face in getting noticed.
- For one thing, they face great difficulty in getting elected outside of VRA mandated majority Latino districts. This problem isn’t as bad as it once was but it still persists. I count 5 or 6 members of the caucus that got elected outside VRA mandated seats. The 4 senators in the caucus all are from southwestern states with high Latino populations.
- Another issue is that Latinos are a very diverse grouping (I dislike grouping all of them together in fact). Chicanos don’t have the same priorities as Cubans or Tejanos or Puerto Ricans. The ideological spread of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the Congressional Black Caucus is similar (they both range from members of the Squad to Blue Dogs) but the CBC has a largely shared culture and American experience that the CHC doesn’t have.
- A third issue is that Latinos aren’t a solid demographic for the Democratic Party. Latinas still rather overwhelmingly voted for MVP Harris in 2024 but Latino men rather decisively voted for Trump. I’m not a Latino nor intimately familiar with all of the nuances of the different cultures. It’s not my place to criticize a group I’m not a part of — especially when I am in the worst possible demographic for Democrats in being a cishet white male.
Just like we need to listen to Black people (especially the 92%) as the base of the party, we need to listen to individuals in the Latino community for a different reason — they are THE swing vote of the future. Our party and its electoral chances hinge on a solid showing from this demographic and it continues to grow (Latinos and Asian Americans are the fastest growing right now).
History of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus
The 10 members of the CHC pose for a photo in 1984. This was 8 years after the founding of the caucus.
The Congressional Hispanic Caucus was formed nearly 50 years ago using the Congressional Black Caucus as a model.
"The fact that we have joined together is a sign of the growing power of our community, and we are looking forward to strengthening the Federal commitment to Hispanic citizens."
– Caucus Statement, 1976
Founded in 1976, the CHC was organized by five Hispanic Members of Congress:
- Herman Badillo (NY)
- Baltasar Corrada del Río (PR)
- Eligio "Kika" de la Garza II (TX)
- Henry B. González (TX)
- Edward R. Roybal (CA)
These Members envisioned an organization that would allow the Hispanic community to effectively engage with legislative, judicial, and executive actions to ensure that the priorities of Latinos were not ignored. The founders of the CHC stated that the CHC's goal would be "to develop programs…to increase opportunities for Hispanics to participate in and contribute to the American political system" and to "reverse the national pattern of neglect, exclusion and indifference suffered for decades by Spanish-speaking citizens of the United States".
President Nixon at first refused to meet with the CBC, but the CHC didn’t that problem. It was formed during President Carter’s tenure and he eventually met with the group to discuss some key issues.
After its initial creation, the CHC rallied its members and resources to push the Carter administration in 1978 to increase the number of Hispanics in leadership positions within the federal government. Additionally, the Caucus helped preserve bilingual education programs, improve voting rights, and secure favorable committee positions for its members.
The CHC also met with Reagan and spoke out forcefully against his racist policies in Latin America. They also opposed his immigration policies.
During the Reagan administration, the CHC rose to prominence as a source of opposition to Reagan's immigration policy and attitudes towards Central and South American countries like Nicaragua and El Salvador. This period saw enormous increases in the CHC's influence as Chairs Robert Garcia and Bill Richardson mobilized to maximize their impact on the national agenda by taking full advantage of committee positions and media exposure.
There were rocky times ahead for the caucus though. Originally bipartisan, the group split into partisan factions during the Clinton years over irreconcilable differences. The Democrats retained the name “Congressional Hispanic Caucus” while the GOP created the “Congressional Hispanic Conference”.
Even within individual political interests and party differences, the Caucus was able to work largely in a bipartisan matter until 1996, when one issue divided them: Cuba.
Then-Congressman Xavier Becerra, a Democrat from California who at the time was running for chair of the Caucus, traveled to the island. Florida Republicans Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and then-Congressman Lincoln Díaz-Balart — both Cuban Americans — left the Caucus, saying they couldn’t forgive his meeting with Cuban leader Fidel Castro while failing to meet with dissidents on the island. Out of that rift would eventually raise the all-Republican Congressional Hispanic Conference in 2003.
During the Clinton years, the future of the caucus looked bright. A new generation of representatives were gaining clout while the old bulls had influence on key committees and subcommittees.
The CHC continued its work to promote Hispanic interests throughout the Clinton administration. Clinton would regularly consult the Caucus on legislation, and partner with them in countering Republican initiatives. With the addition of 3 new members during the 105th Congress and the rise of Robert Menendez and Ed Pastor in Democratic leadership, the Caucus grew stronger.
The GW Bush years were a time of guarded cooperation, especially on the issue of immigration reform. Unfortunately, the push on that issue was stymied by Congressional gridlock in the second term of GW Bush.
The CHC scored major victories during the Obama years on immigration (DACA) and health care (the ACA) and largely supported his agenda. Though as deportations picked up towards the end of his second term there was some friction.
The group stridently opposed Trump 1.0, especially on immigration policy. Their goal was to protect DACA, place Dreamers on a more solid footing for immigration status, and highlight the abuses at the border in contravention of human rights laws.
The CHC entered the Biden administration at a crossroads. The caucus was larger than ever before but was also struggling to gain traction for their priority issues. The caucus helped influence all of the key legislative victories such as the cancellation of student loan debt but also struggled to get resources in order to expedite asylum claims and to end Title 42.
Now, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus finds itself in the minority on Capitol Hill once more. They will continue to fight for the Latino community which is increasingly under attack by the Musk/Trump regime. The caucus is launching a communications effort known as “Tu Caucus” on YouTube and podcasting. Hopefully this effort is successful and the CHC rises to more prominence.
Who is in the Congressional Hispanic Caucus?
The Congressional Hispanic Caucus consists of the following members. I will write about each member eventually but I’d like to identify them, the district/state they represent, and the committees they are on.
Arizona:
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Sen. Ruben Gallego — Banking/Housing/Urban Affairs, Energy/Natural Resources, Homeland Security/Governmental Affairs, Veterans’ Affairs
AZ-07: VACANT. This was the district of Rep. Raul Grijalva before he passed away. It is likely but not guaranteed it will elect another member of the CHC this fall.
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California:
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Sen. Alex Padilla — Judiciary, Budget, Environment/Public Works, Energy/Natural Resources, Rules/Administration
CA-16: Rep. Sam Liccardo — Financial Services
CA-21: Rep. Jim Costa — Agriculture, Foreign Affairs
CA-24: Rep. Salud Carbajal — Agriculture, Armed Services, Transportation/Infrastructure
CA-25: Rep. Raul Ruiz — Energy/Commerce
CA-29: Rep. Luz Rivas — Natural Resources, Science/Space/Technology
CA-31: Rep. Gil Cisneros — Armed Services, Small Business
CA-33: Rep. Pete Aguilar — Appropriations, House Democratic Caucus Chair (3rd in leadership)
CA-34: Rep. Jimmy Gomez — Intelligence, Oversight
CA-35: Rep. Norma Torres — Appropriations, House Administration
CA-38: Rep. Linda Sanchez — Ways and Means
CA-42: Rep. Robert Garcia — Oversight, Homeland Security
CA-44: Rep. Nanette Barragan — Energy/Commerce
CA-46: Rep. Lou Correa — Homeland Security, Judiciary
CA-49: Rep. Mike Levin — Appropriations
CA-52: Rep. Juan Vargas — Financial Services
.
Florida:
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FL-09: Rep. Darren Soto — Agriculture, Energy/Commerce
FL-10: Rep. Maxwell Frost — Oversight, Science/Space/Technology
.
Illinois:
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IL-03: Rep. Delia Ramirez — Homeland Security, Veterans’ Affairs
IL-04: Rep. Chuy Garcia — Transportation/Infrastructure
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Massachusetts:
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MA-03: Rep. Lori Trahan — Energy/Commerce
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Nevada:
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Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto — Banking/Housing/Urban Affairs, Energy/Natural Resources, Indian Affairs, Finance
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New Jersey:
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NJ-08: Rep. Rob Menendez — Transportation/Infrastructure, Homeland Security
NJ-09: Rep. Nellie Pou — Transportation/Infrastructure, Homeland Security
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New Mexico:
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Sen. Ben Ray Lujan — Agriculture/Nutrition/Forestry, Budget, Commerce/Science/Transportation, HELP, Indian Affairs
NM-02: Rep. Gabe Vasquez — Agriculture, Armed Services
NM-03: Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez — Natural Resources, Education and Labor, Rules
.
New York:
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NY-07: Rep. Nydia Velazquez — Financial Services, Small Business (ranking member)
NY-13: Rep. Adriano Espaillat — chair of the CHC, Budget, Appropriations
NY-14: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — Oversight, Natural Resources, Energy/Commerce
NY-15: Rep. Ritchie Torres — Financial Services, Homeland Security, China
.
Oregon:
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OR-06: Rep. Andrea Salinas — Agriculture, Science/Space/Technology
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Puerto Rico:
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Rep. Pablo Jose Hernandez Rivera — Homeland Security, Natural Resources
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Texas:
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TX-16: Rep. Veronica Escobar — Armed Services, Judiciary
TX-20: Rep. Joaquin Castro — Intelligence, Foreign Affairs
TX-28: Rep. Henry Cuellar — Appropriations
TX-29: Rep. Sylvia Garcia — Financial Services, Judiciary
TX-34: Rep. Vicente Gonzalez — Financial Services
TX-35: Rep. Greg Casar — Oversight, Agriculture
.
Washington:
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WA-03: Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez — Agriculture, Small Business
WA-06: Rep. Emily Randall — Oversight, Natural Resources
Congressional Chronicle: Week of March 31, 2025
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Monday, March 31
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The Senate voted to invoke cloture on Matthew Witaker for Permanent Rep. on the Council of NATO (49/42). Sens. Cortez Masto, Gallego, Lujan, and Padilla all voted NAY.
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Tuesday, April 1
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The House voted down the rules package — H Res. 282 — for the week (206/222) after 9 members of the GOP revolted about the attempt to squelch Rep. Anna Paulina Luna’s discharge petition. All 213 Democrats voted against the rules package, including the members of the CHC. All further House votes this week have been cancelled.
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Votes in the Senate were ground to a halt by the talking filibuster of Sen. Cory Booker.
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The Senate confirmed the nomination of the new Permanent Rep. on the Council of NATO Matthew Witaker. He was approved (52/45/3) with Sens. Cortez Masto, Gallego, Lujan, and Padilla all voting NAY.
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Wednesday, April 2
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The Senate invoked cloture on the nominee for Solicitor General, Dean Sauer. Cloture was approved (53/46/1) with Sens. Cortez Masto, Gallego, Lujan, and Padilla all voting NAY.
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The Senate invoked cloture on on the nominee for Assistant Attorney General, Harmeet Dhillon. Cloture was approved (52/45/3) with Sens. Cortez Masto, Gallego, Lujan, and Padilla all voting NAY.
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The Senate passed S.J. Res 37 to terminate the national emergency declared to impose tariffs on Canada. The resolution was approved (51/48/1) with Sens. Cortez Masto, Gallego, Lujan, and Padilla all voting AYE.
x
House after Trump's tariff announcement, the Senate passes Tim Kaine's resolution to terminate Trump's declaration of emergency that is providing the legal underpinning for his tariffs on Canada. Republicans crossing: McConnell, Paul, Collins, Murkowski
[image or embed]
— Aaron Fritschner (@fritschner.bsky.social) April 2, 2025 at 7:39 PM
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The Senate passed a motion to proceed on H.J. Res 24, which disapproves of the regulations made for walk in freezers. The motion was approved (51/46/3) with Sens. Cortez Masto, Gallego, Lujan, and Padilla all voting NAY.
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Thursday, April 3
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The Senate passed H.J. Res 24 as explained above. The resolution was approved (53/42/5) with Sens. Cortez Masto, Gallego, Lujan, and Padilla all voting NAY.
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The Senate confirmed the nomination of Solicitor General Dean Sauer. He was approved (52/45/3) with Sens. Cortez Masto, Gallego, Lujan, and Padilla all voting NAY.
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The Senate invoked cloture on the nominee for the Administrator of Medicaid/Medicare Services, Dr. Mehmet Oz. Cloture was approved (50/45/5) with Sens. Cortez Masto, Gallego, Lujan, and Padilla all voting NAY.
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The Senate rejected S.J. Res 33, which would have disapproved of additional aid to Israel. The resolution was rejected (15/82/1/2) with Sens. Cortez Masto, Gallego, Lujan, and Padilla all voting NAY.
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The Senate rejected S.J. Res 26, which would have disapproved of additional aid to Israel. The resolution was rejected (15/83/1/1) with Sens. Cortez Masto, Gallego, Lujan, and Padilla all voting NAY.
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The Senate confirmed the nomination of Administrator of Medicaid/Medicare, Dr. Mehmet Oz. He was approved (53/45/2) with Sens. Cortez Masto, Gallego, Lujan, and Padilla all voting NAY.
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The Senate confirmed the nomination of the Assistant Attorney General, Harmeet Dhillon. She was approved (52/45/3) with one GOP defection. Sens. Cortez Masto, Gallego, Lujan, and Padilla all voted NAY.
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The Senate passed a motion to proceed on House Con. Res 14, which is the budget resolution. The motion to proceed was approved (52/48) with one GOP defection. Sens. Cortez Masto, Gallego, Lujan, and Padilla all voted NAY.
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Friday, April 4/Saturday, April 5
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The Senate debated House Con. Res 14, which is the budget resolution.
After debate, they started what is colloquially known as a ‘vote-a-rama’ thanks to the special rules for reconciliation. There are too many amendment votes to list here but they’ve mostly been rejected with Republicans voting against and Democrats voting for the amendments in question. 1-3 Republicans tend to peel off and vote for each amendment but it isn't enough to pass them.
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The Senate passed House Con. Res 14, which is the budget resolution. It was approved (51/48/1) with some GOP defections. Sens. Cortez Masto, Gallego, Lujan, and Padilla all voted NAY.
That’s a wrap on the legislative week!
The CHC Roundup is a weekly series that is published every Saturday at 8AM EDT. The CHC represents the most critical swing demographic group in the nation. For daily updates, check out my CHC comments in the Abbreviated Pundit Roundup.
